Old Bridge resident Judith O’Donnell wants people to understand something about “Family Feud” — it looks easy when one watches it at home. It’s not nearly as easy when one is standing under the lights and in front of the camera.
For O’Donnell, an unabashed game show addict, the pleasure of watching one of her favorite game shows turned into an exhilarating experience for both herself and her family.
And the experience still isn’t over.
Along with her father, Fred; brother, Fred Jr.; and sisters, Laura and Nancy, O’Donnell auditioned for “Family Feud” in Atlantic City last November as the Voza family. (“Voza” is O’Donnell’s maiden name.) They taped two episodes in May, and now the Vozas are being brought back on Aug. 12 to play again. As for why the Vozas were picked, it’s because they’re simply an interesting family. O’Donnell is a breast cancer survivor, and she and her sisters all grew up to become teachers. Her father and brother run the family business — Jamesburg Press Madison Printing, located in Jamesburg — which has specialized in printing menus for more than 40 years.
Months after their audition, the show flew the Vozas out to Atlanta in May to record their game, and they found themselves treated like royalty.
“The pilot announced, ‘We have celebrities on board. Let’s cheer for them, and good luck to the Vozas!’ ” O’Donnell said. “It was like we were from Hollywood.”
O’Donnell was also allowed to bring along her 80-year-old mother, Dorothy, who played the role of “team mascot.” Upon arriving in Atlanta, the Voza family became something that they had only fantasized about — actual contestants on “Family Feud,” being charmed by host Steve Harvey and competing to win a game in a much more nerve-wracking environment than back home on their couches.
“You honestly have to get your head straight and in the right place, kind of like a job interview, when you say to yourself, ‘I’ve got one chance to present myself. I’ve got to do it right,’ ” O’Donnell said.
Much to their joy, the Vozas won their first game.
“It was like I was on a cloud with the rest of my family,” O’Donnell said. “… None of us could honestly believe we came here, we’re here, we won.” But when the Vozas played their second game, things didn’t go quite as smoothly. Due to a question discrepancy — where the Vozas didn’t receive points for an answer that they answered correctly — they lost their second game.
The producers realized their mistake, which is why the Vozas are being brought back for a third game on Aug. 12, according to the family. They are eligible to win up to a maximum of five games.
Currently, O’Donnell doesn’t know when her “Feud” episodes will air, but she expects the date to be sometime in the fall. Whether the Vozas win or lose their next batch of games, they can always take comfort knowing they lived something most people will only ever get to watch on TV.
“It’s an experience no one could ever imagine,” O’Donnell said.